Children of Teen Mothers have Less Developed Speech

(Ivanhoe Newswire) – Children born to teenage mothers have less developed speaking skills at age 5 compared to children with older mothers, according to a new study.

Researchers at St. Michael’s Hospital in Ontario, Canada, examined data from a long-term British study, which covered nearly 19,000 children who were assessed for reading, reasoning, and intelligence skills at age 5. The analysis showed children born to mothers in their teens had underdeveloped speaking skills at age 5, compared to those children born to older mothers. The study identified that parental involvement in things like reading, playing, and singing, was a predictive factor in high-level child development.

"We don't believe that having a baby in your teens is the cause of underdeveloped speaking skills," lead study author Dr. Julia Morinis was quoted as saying. "It's likely that being a teen mother is a risk factor that indicates poorer circumstance for development opportunities in some cases."